Publication date: Summer, 1991
Story: Dean Clarrain (Steve Murphy)
Pencils: Jim Lawson
Inks: Dan Berger
Colors: Steve Lavigne
Letters: Mary Kelleher
Cover: Michael Dooney
“Wildcat Blues”
Summary:
In the rain forest, the Turtles have tracked down a band
of ocelot poachers. They try to sneak up
on them, but the poachers hear them and open fire with their machine guns. The Turtles retreat as the poachers escape
with the caged wildcats.
The Turtles follow the trail left by the poachers, which
leads them to a jaguar-shaped temple in the jungle. Suddenly, they’re attacked by Jagwar, who
mistakes them for more poachers. Jagwar
slices off Raph’s bandana in his anger, but Leonardo calms him by reminding him
that they’re friends.
Jagwar apologizes for not recognizing them at first and
then invites them back into his temple.
Inside, they find the poachers trapped in their own cages with the
ocelots freely stalking around them.
Michelangelo thinks the reversal of situations is “cool for cats”.
Turtle Tips:
*This story is continued from TMNT Magazine (Welsh) #4. The story continues in TMNT Magazine (Welsh) #6.
*The title “Wildcat Blues” is a riff on “Puma Blues”, a
comic Steve Murphy (Dean Clarrain) wrote and published through Mirage.
*Unlike many of the mutant characters who made their
first appearance in this magazine, Jagwar was first introduced in TMNT Adventures #14 (September, 1990).
Review:
The only story arc in TMNT Magazine continues, with the
Turtles fighting more stereotypical crime in South America. Last time it was deforestation, this time
it’s poaching. The South American tour
arc of TMNT Adventures wasn’t one of its more graceful storylines and this
little trilogy is basically that arc in miniature. I guess in this way it’s a bit more
digestible, though it’ll still make your stomach hurt.
Since Jagwar had already been introduced to the public in
TMNT Adventures, the Turtles treat him as an old friend in this story (much
like Man Ray in TMNT Magazine #1). It’s the
opposite of characters like Warrior Dragon and Nocturno, who were introduced
here before getting bigger roles in the Archie book. The continuities are still unconnected, but
it’s neat to see the synergy between the two publications; Murphy was pretty much
operating under the assumption that his Magazine readers were familiar with
Adventures.
Now, having Jagwar fight the Turtles when he first meets
them and then remember that they’re friends (because they already met in
another book that’s unconnected to this one) is a little odd. I mean, he mistakes them for poachers? In broad daylight? Then again, Jagwar’s first appearance in TMNT
Adventures and this issue are only separated by half a year; maybe Murphy
rewrote this script to account for Jagwar’s previous introduction and the
rewrites didn’t really sync up with… logic.
I dunno. It’s more thought than
these four pages deserve.
